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Youtheory Fat Burner

cacaocrafter

Inquiry: evidence, safety, and self-quantification framework for “Youtheory Fat Burner”-type thermogenic blends

I am evaluating the risk-benefit profile of over‑the‑counter “fat burner” blends marketed under brands such as Youtheory. Because proprietary formulations can change and labels often emphasize blends over discrete doses, I’m interested in an evidence-driven discussion that goes beyond anecdote and typical caffeine-centric narratives.

Key questions for the group:

Ingredient transparency and standardization
- Has anyone obtained a current certificate of analysis (COA) for this product or lot-tested it with third‑party labs (e.g., NSF, USP, BSCG)?
- For those with bottles in hand, what are the exact per‑serving quantities and standardizations (e.g., EGCG content of green tea extract, capsaicinoids in capsicum/Capsimax, grains of paradise 6‑paradol content, piperine percentage, synephrine presence/absence)?
Incremental efficacy versus caffeine alone
- In controlled comparisons, do the non‑caffeine actives (e.g., catechins, capsaicinoids, grains of paradise, piperine, carnitine, chromium) provide measurable increases in resting energy expenditure or fat oxidation beyond caffeine at matched doses?
- Has anyone run a caffeine-matched placebo crossover (e.g., week A: caffeine-only; week B: product; randomized order, identical timing) with indirect calorimetry or validated metabolic trackers?
Safety edge cases that may be underappreciated
- Green tea extract hepatotoxicity appears dose- and context-dependent, with higher risk when taken fasting. Many thermogenics are marketed for fasted use. Has anyone monitored liver enzymes (ALT/AST) over 4-8 weeks of fasted vs fed dosing?
- Bioenhancers like piperine can raise drug and nutrient exposure (CYP3A4, P‑gp, UGT interactions). Any observed interactions with SSRIs/SNRIs, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, thyroid medication, anticoagulants, or oral contraceptives?
- Cardiovascular tolerance: effects on resting BP/HR, palpitations, anxiety, sleep fragmentation. Any data stratified by CYP1A2 or ADORA2A genotype (fast vs slow caffeine metabolizers) or by baseline hypertension/anxiety status?
- Adulteration risk: any findings of undeclared sympathomimetics (e.g., synephrine analogs, BMPEA, DMAA) from independent assays?
Mechanistic targets beyond stimulation
- Evidence for BAT activation/browning (capsaicinoids, grains of paradise) in humans at label doses, and whether cold exposure or exercise timing potentiates effects.
- Appetite regulation versus thermogenesis: any meaningful impact on hunger ratings, GLP‑1/CCK signaling proxies, or ad libitum caloric intake?
Practical dosing variables
- Optimal timing relative to meals and exercise to balance GI tolerance, glycemic variability, and sleep. Any continuous glucose monitoring data showing postprandial or fasting effects with/without the product?
- Cycling strategies to mitigate tolerance or adrenal/ANS strain. Has intermittent dosing preserved effects?
Real‑world N‑of‑1 protocol (seeking feedback/refinement)
- Design: 2‑condition randomized crossover, 2 weeks each, 1‑week washout; Conditions: caffeine-only control vs product at label dose; both morning dosing only.
- Measures: resting energy expenditure (valid metabolic cart if available or a consistent consumer calorimetry proxy), 24‑hour HR and HRV, home BP, sleep metrics, hunger ratings, step-count/NEAT, food intake (weighed or consistent meal plan), body mass, optional labs (ALT/AST, TSH, fasting glucose/lipids).
- Exclusions: existing liver disease, uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmia, pregnancy, concurrent serotonergic or anticoagulant therapy unless cleared by a clinician.
- Outcomes: between‑condition differences in REE, BP/HR, sleep efficiency, appetite, and adverse events; pre/post labs if collected.
Quality and compliance
- Does the manufacturer publish batch-level COAs, specify extract standardizations, and operate under audited cGMP? Any responses from the company to technical inquiries about ingredient titers and stimulant exclusions?

If you have data-label photos with mg and standardizations, lab reports, indirect calorimetry outputs, CGM traces, BP/HR logs, or genotyping that informed your response-please share. I am especially interested in evidence that isolates the added value of non‑caffeine constituents, as well as any systematic safety monitoring during fasted use.

RadiantReishi

Quick adds from my digging + a small N=1 that might help tighten the signal:

Transparency check
- I can’t find this SKU on NSF/USP/BSCG/Informed Choice directories right now. If someone has a batch COA, the must-haves are: caffeine mg/serving by HPLC, EGCG mg (not just “green tea extract”), capsaicinoids mg (Capsimax usually specifies total capsaicinoids), grains of paradise as 6‑paradol %, and explicit “no synephrine/PEAs/DMAA/DMB” statement. Ask for heavy metals/micro/melamine screens and test methods.
Incremental efficacy beyond caffeine (ballpark from meta-analyses/RCTs)
- Caffeine: ₃-5% bump in EE acutely.
- Green tea catechins + caffeine: incremental ₁-2% EE over caffeine alone (₃₀-60 kcal/day) with lots of inter‑individual variance and smaller effects in high habitual caffeine users.
- Capsaicinoids: ₄₀-50 kcal/day at 4-10 mg capsaicinoids; many capsicum blends underdose at ₂ mg.
- Grains of paradise: tiny human datasets; 30-40 mg extract (≈12.5% 6‑paradol) showed BAT‑linked effects in cold‑sensitive men; signal seems to amplify with mild cold exposure.
- Piperine/chromium/carnitine: minimal thermogenic add‑on at label doses; utility is bioavailability (piperine) or glycemic nuance (chromium), not EE.
Safety edge cases I’d actually monitor
- EGCG: risk jumps fasted. Keep total supplemental EGCG <300 mg/day unless monitored, and take with food. Pull ALT/AST at baseline and week 2-4 if you’re testing fasted vs fed.
- Piperine: flags for CYP3A4/P‑gp/UGT substrates (SSRIs/SNRIs, CCBs/beta‑blockers, levothyroxine, anticoagulants, OCPs). If piperine is in there, I’d avoid combo with those unless a clinician ok’s it.
- CV: at matched caffeine, expect +3-5 mmHg SBP and +3-8 bpm HR acutely; slow CYP1A2 or ADORA2A variants tend to have more anxiety/sleep fragmentation. Stop by early afternoon if you’re a slow metabolizer.
Mechanistic nudge
- If the blend contains capsaicinoids or grains of paradise, try pairing with 60-90 min of mild cold (17-19°C room or cool walk) to test BAT‑related effects-dose ₄₅ min pre‑exposure.
N‑of‑1 tweaks to your crossover
- Double‑dummy: both arms get identical capsule counts; match caffeine mg with pure caffeine tablets so “product vs caffeine‑only” is truly caffeine‑matched.
- Standardize a light snack for any EGCG‑containing dose to keep hepatotoxicity risk controlled.
- REE: measure after 20-30 min quiet supine rest, same time of day, no exercise/caffeine 12 h prior (except the test dose).
- Add CGM metrics: fasting mean, CV, postprandial iAUC for a fixed meal ± product.
- Track afternoon HRV too (RMSSD/SDNN) to catch delayed sympathetic load.
Practical dosing
- For exercise thermogenesis, 30-60 min pre‑workout works; for sleep, set a hard cutoff 8-10 h before bed if you’re caffeine‑sensitive.
- GI: titrate capsaicinoids up; many people tolerate 2 mg fine but get reflux at 4-6 mg without food.
Adulteration sanity check
- If anything feels “too strong for the label,” it’s worth a one‑off LC‑MS/MS scan for undeclared sympathomimetics. Even a single‑cap composite test can rule out the usual suspects.

If someone can post exact mg of caffeine, EGCG, capsaicinoids, and 6‑paradol from a current bottle/COA, we can estimate an expected EE delta and set a priori thresholds for your crossover (e.g., “clinically meaningful = ≥2% REE over caffeine‑only, no HR/BP penalty, no ALT rise”).